Season 3
The summer away from Gatorland saw her citizens to the north, within the Pain Handle, to the small outpost of Foster. Foster was far within the frontier and absent of the Rat Trap's influence. In order to build good will, Gatorland's citizens tried to help the outpost build an infrastructure to be able to survive the long, hot summer. Engineers spent their days and nights building stills, workbenches, and forges to support the town while Zed and Raiders alike were cleared out of the area. Their growing presence eventually attracted the attention of the Rat Trap, who tried to take control over the town and bring it under the Rat Kings control. By the end of the trade meet loyalties were strained and it was uncertain who truly held power in the small outpost. As the summer waned its citizens returned to their home to find their woes with the Final Knights still burning, though they stood strong against them. Whether it was in support of the Rat Trap, or simply against the Final Knights, was yet to be seen. Worse yet, a creature known as the Nightmare Man, or No-Face, was haunting the nights and controlling members of the town causing them to perform nefarious acts. However, the settlement saw more and more assistance from the Rat Trap entering town. Soldiers, scientists, and scholars were making more frequent appearances to assist the town after their support against the Final Knights. When the Final Knights returned to Gatorland to reset their blockade they were met with heavy resistance and eventually pushed back again. With the ongoing struggles for Carrion and his forces, groups began bleeding off to make their own attempts at Gatorland, while others deserted his ranks and sought refuge among the citizens of Gatorland. As the weather continued to grow colder, the season soon brought Halloween back to Gatorland, and so too the Nemesis that plague the October nights. However, accompanying them was a number of psionic manifestations that made the trade meet all the more lethal. It was soon discovered that the psionic disturbances were created from the Duchess of House Rose, who was afflicted with a terrible disease of the mind, causing her powerful psionics to manifest and lash out. However, with the strength of Gatorland to fend off the Nemesis, Gatorland's frontier doctors were able to fashion together a cure for the Duchess where other doctors could not. Thursgiving festivities were marred by the Final Knights and their desire to continue their war and disrupt the Nuclear Family holiday. A large group of Carrion's forces breached the outer wall of the settlement and allowed in numerous forces, both raider and zed, into the town. Despite this, Gatorland banded together and pushed back not only Carrion's forces, but put down the raiders and zed pouring through the wall. Carrion himself and Lord Gnarl later came to Gatorland to demand the citizens surrender but this was met by the resolute men and women of the town who refused and fought back, eventually putting Gnarl and Carrion down once and for all. Surely it wasn't the last they'd see of Carrion and his forces though. Holiday festivities continued as the season turned and things began to recover from the ongoing wars with the Final Knights. The war efforts garnered Gatorland much attention from the Rat Trap and a number of representatives of the numerous Houses were seen in the area soon after the war began to die down. As the holidays came and went, Gatorland returned its focus to rebuilding. With the wall in shambles numerous Raiders were becoming a growing problem, so the citizens turned their efforts to its reconstruction. Amidst the rebuilding Gatorland found themselves in a tentative position as a separatist movement began causing strife within the Rat Trap. Assorted groups of mercenaries, settlers from other townships around Gatorland, and even bands of Final Knights all found themselves in the mix of those trying to break free from the tyranny of the Rat Trap. Who would Gatorland support? How would the Rat Trap react? As the season turned to spring, civil unrest and violence had erupted across the Rat Trap as those who sought freedom from the Rat King's rule fought for their freedom and Rat Trap reacted with an iron fist. Gatorland wasn't immune to the violence as those that sought freedom fled to the frontier and the Trap followed. Gatorland's loyalty was tested as the Rat King sought to put down this rebellion and seek out traitors and seditionist. Gatorland residents chose sides and tensions grew hot between those loyal to Gatorland and those loyal to the Rat Trap. These choices had direct effect on Gatorland's election and the citizens of the town chose based on their place in the struggle. The new council was immediately put to the test as rebellion became open sale in the Rat Trap as assorted separatist forces and Minor Houses around the Paradise Isles declared their intent. Tensions grew as the Rat Trap's iron fist tried to reign them in, resulting in deaths of commoners and noble Pure Bloods alike. The dead became martyrs and the separatists continued to fight back. Both sides found themselves in Gatorland fighting for their cause and Gatorland's own citizens were not immune to the death and violence. Gatorland entered the burning trade season, leaving their homes for the road, but what would be left of the Paradise Isles when they returned?